Mail-crane



(No Model.)

Y P. W. SENSBA.

MAIL CRANE. No. 327,200! PatentedSept. 29, 1885.

AINVENTOR:

aM/ww 'l ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES ,j

PATENT OFFICE.

FRED W. SENSIBA, OF TALBOT, MICHIGAN.

MAIL-CRANE,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,200, dated September 29,1885.

Application tiled February 11, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FEED W. SENsIBA, of rIalbot, in the county of Menominee and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved Automatic Mail-Crane, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mail-cranes for holding mail-pouches at the sides of railway-tracks, so that the pouches can be grasped by a contrivance on a passing train; and the object of my invention is to provide a mail-erane which is so constructed that it automatically swings into a position parallel with the tracks when the pouch is pulled out of it, so that the crane will not endanger the lives of persons on pass' ing trains by striking the persons.

The invention consists in parts and details and constructions of the same, as will be fully set forth, and described hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side view of my improved automatic mail-crane, the arm being raised and holding a mail-pouch. Fig. 2 is a front View of the same, the arm beinglowered. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the same on the linea: x, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailsectional View of parts showing the arrangement of I,the pulleys. Fig. 5 shows a modification of the device for turning the standard. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the same.

-The upright A is arranged to turn on its vertical axis on a base, B, and is provided at its top with a rectangularly-projecting arm, C, suitably braced. l

Some distance below the arm C a bracketpiece, D, projects from the upright A in the same direction as the arm C, and to the outer end of the bracket-piece D an arm is pivoted to swing vertically, the outer end of which projects from the upright A as far as the end of the arm O when the said arm E is raised.

A chain or rope, F, is secured to the upper surface of the arm E a short distance from the pivoted end, and is passed over a grooved pulley, G, in the bracket-piece D, and its lower endis secured to the free end of an upwardlyswinging lever, H, pivoted to a bar, J,'

projecting toward the rear from the upright directly above the top of the base B. A cleat, K, is secured on the top of the base B, with which the lever H can engage.

A rope or chain, L, is secured to the free end of the bar J, is passed over grooved pulleys M and N on the top of the base, a short distance to one side of the upright, and is passed through an aperture, N', in the top of 6o the hollow base, and to lower end of the said rope or chain a weight, O, is secured, which is heavy enough to swing the upright on its vertical axis. Pins a project from the free ends of the arms C and E, and are to be passed through the end loops or handles, I), ot' the mail-pouch Q. Thepins on the arms E and C are pivoted to swing laterally in the usual manner.

The operation is as follows: One end of the pouch Q, is suspended from the top arm, G, and the upright Ais turned on its vertical axis to bring the arm C at right angles to the tracks. The arrn E is raised, and its pin a engaged with the bottom of the pouch. By swinging the arm C at right angles to the track the weight O is raised, and then the upright A is locked in place by the lever H, which engages with the cleat K and prevents the weight O from swinging the crane in the direction of the arrow a'-that is, into a position parallel with the track. The pouch is now in position to be grasped by the contrivance on the passing car. When the pouch is removed, the arm E swings down, thereby pulling up the chain F, lifting the lever H, and disengaging it from the cleat K. The weight O is now released and descends, and by means of the rope or chain Lswings the crane into position parallel with the track. Aslong as the crane is not in actual use, there is no danger of its injuring passengers, brakemen, &c., on passing trains, as the arm of the crane is parallel with the track.

In place of providing the weight O and the chain or rope L for turning the upright standard, the standard may be provided with a fixed base portion, A', and an upper portion, A, adapted to turn on its vertical axis. Each portion A and A2 is provided in its end with two opposite bevels, c and c' in the portion A', and d and d' in the portion A2. A pin, T2,p1o-

IOO

jects downward from the portion A2 into a recess in the portion A. T o bring the cranearm C at right angles to the track, the upper portion, A2, is given a partial turn, so that the bevels of the upper portion will be at right angles to the bevels of the lower portion, and the points of the bevels will be in Contact, as shown in Fig'. 5. When the pouch is removed, and the portion A2 released, it descends under the action of its own weight, the bevels o c and d d sliding on each other,whereby a quarter-turn is given to the upper portion, and the bevels c c and d d are in contact.

Having thus described my invention, whatV I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters ai Patent, is-V 1. 'lne con'ibinatiomwith a mail-cranellaving its upright pivoted to turn on its vertical axis, of a weight acting on the said upright, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The combination, with a mail-cranehaving its upright pivoted to turn on its vertical axis, of a bar projecting from the upright,.a

and a weight for turning the upright on its axis,

substantially as herein shown and described.

4,. The combination, with the crane A, hav- Y ing its upright pivoted to turn on its vertical axis, ofthe pivoted arm E, the chain F, the

bar J, the pivoted lever H, the rope L, the,Y

pulleys M, and weight O, substantially as herein shown and described.

FRED W. SENSIBA.

Witnesses:

WILsoN F. BROTHERTON, HIRAM W. SENsIBA. 

